


A Promise Made, A Promise Broken

by KOD_Roxas (Small_Gatekeeper)



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst, Drabble, F/F, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hope vs. Despair, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 17:20:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19300273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Gatekeeper/pseuds/KOD_Roxas
Summary: The sunsets in Twilight Town were always the best. Each one more beautiful than the last. For the black coated blonde, this world had been both a sanctuary and a prison.Now, it only served to remind him how every day was precious. How every moment was worth living with all of his might…And it was Sora who showed him how to live.





	A Promise Made, A Promise Broken

**Author's Note:**

> This began as a small blip of a string of posts I entered in on a discord, but I liked the idea so much I decided to expand on it.
> 
> I already have 3 chapters already in the works of this small drabble, so I'm just going to see where it goes.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated.

“Riku… I’m sorry…”

 

Those words sank in like a cold knife, chilling him to the bone. He watched her delicate fingers tremble, her teeth making worrying marks in her lower lip, unable to meet his gaze staring through her and into the sea.

 

Even though they were both standing on the beach of their play island- all that Riku could feel was the cold- it was all that he could focus on... the huge frozen hole that ate away at his chest… arcing deep into his heart.

 

Somehow, managing to swallow the lump in his throat, he opened his mouth to speak. Then quickly closed it, his teeth grinding together to keep the words in, those disgusting angry words that he knew he didn’t really mean.

 

Instead he managed a hoarse; “Why?”

 

Kairi barely heard it, a whisper of pain overtaking the constant low roar of the waves. Her eyes finally looking back at his.

 

“I… I don’t know.” She answered just as helplessly. Her hands coming up to clench over her own heart, likely feeling the same chill.

 

“I remember his voice- being pulled back- I thought he was right behind me-” The princess scrambled to explain as Riku’s usually bright gaze began to grow darker.

 

“I felt something… Something  _ more _ than Us. It grabbed him- separated us…” She was unable to stop the tears now, her hands tightening as the feeling seemed to grow.

 

Her heart had never felt so alone…

 

Riku shifted his weight from one foot to the other- the only sound between the two of them was the shifting of the sand underfoot and the distant call of seagulls. 

 

So many thoughts raced through his head-... so many memories- the feelings associated with them quickly being swallowed up in the despair that was taking over his heart.

 

Realization dawned on the platinum blonde that he was starting to fall back into bad habits again. He wondered for a moment how he looked to Kairi right now- hopelessness filled his eyes and tensed his shoulders.

 

Sora wasn’t there anymore… he wasn’t going to jump in with his goofy grin and shining eyes and pick them up like he always had.

 

His voice... his smile was gone… but was it really too late? 

 

Was there still enough time to try and reach for him? 

 

There in the unknown...

 

Determination crossed his features. He could already feel the cold dwindling down into his stomach, there was still hope wasn’t there?

 

_ ‘There was always hope!’ _ He could practically hear Sora’s confident baritone chime in beside him, grinning up at Riku as if daring to challenge his words.

 

Kairi jumped a bit as Riku suddenly moved, spinning to turn in the direction of their friends, he broke out into a run. 

 

“Come on, Kai!” He called over his shoulder. “If we want to get him back we should start now!”

 

The Princess paused, having already mentally steeled herself for Riku’s rage- his anger that he once let drive his actions. She shouldn’t have been surprised, he had already proven himself worthy of the title of ‘Master’.

 

Darkness was no longer the one in control, he walked the Road to Dawn. 

 

Her heartbeat ached in her chest, tears beginning anew as she watched her friend move towards the Dawn…

 

Towards the Sun.

 

To Sora’s side…

  
  


= = =

  
  


Amongst the group of friends, Terra was the first to notice Kairi and Riku approaching. 

A smile split across his face as soon as he laid eyes on the Princess, looking safe and none the worse for wear. 

 

Shifting between the two, soon he realized that Sora wasn’t running alongside the duo... the desperation on Riku’s face suddenly spoke volumes.

 

“Kairi!” Xion screamed excitedly. Both her and her gentle blonde counterpart came running to meet her behind Riku. The trio sharing a small hug before turning back to the main body of the group, looking expectantly at Riku.

 

Riku finally slowed to a stop, his chest heaving as he paused to catch his breath, he had to keep reminding himself to breath normally. In through the nose, out through the mouth- refusing to let the ice of dread creep back up into his chest.

 

Axel stood up from his spot beside Isa on the ramshackle boat dock, coming to join at the front of the group. “Heeeyy, you made it!” He congratulated the shorter redhead. 

 

“I knew he’d get you back! Like he said he would-” As soon as he finished his words, he looked up and over Kairi’s head expecting the smiling brunette to be there.

 

“He didn’t make it back with her.” Riku’s voice was loud but firm, confirming their suspicions. 

 

A silence hit the group, the roar of the waves crashing louder, echoing the emotions pressing down like a blanket of water.

 

Both Xion and Namine look devastated, reaching out instinctively to grasp each of Kairi’s hands as they turned to give Riku their full attention.

 

“It’s okay- Sora set out to bring her back and he obviously succeeded!” He attempted some essence of a smile as he gestured towards Kairi.

 

“She came back- quicker than we anticipated- so I feel that if we start now and follow her trail backwards… we will find him! We’ll bring him back to us, because we still have a chance. He could still come home.”

 

His voice washed over the group, gazes lifting as if looking at the platinum blonde in a new light.

 

The spark of hope that rippled through the keybladers was almost contagious. Each one beginning to move forward- following Riku to the Gateway that would take them to Radiant Garden so that they could begin their search.

 

One figure does not follow…

 

Wrapped still in his black coat, his gloved hands gripping hard against the leather. Roxas stood in the warm sand, his blue eyes dark with anger as his glare found the back of Riku’s head- narrowing in contemplation.

 

Axel, Xion, and Isa seemed to sense the absence of their friend, the trio pausing at the gateway to wait for the blonde to catch up.

 

“Roxas?...” Xion called, taking a step back towards her friend before pausing at the smile that drifted it’s way onto the dual wielders face…

 

It looked wrong. Disjointed.

 

“Sorry-” Roxas began as he moved towards the portal, the smile still twitching at the corners of his mouth; “Just… listening to the sound of the waves.”

 

He felt it there. On the island.

 

_ Sora… _

 

Like a golden thread drawn taut with every step forward, the ex-nobody could feel him slipping further and further away.

 

He knew exactly what to do.

  
  


= = =

  
  


Once they reached Radiant Garden, it didn’t take long to get the news spread to those who were needed to enact Riku’s plan.

 

As soon as they met up with the Restoration Committee, Riku jumped into action. 

 

The Keyblade Master explained their current situation to Leon and the Restoration Committee, before finally getting back to Ansem the Wise’s lab to see what they had to work with- Roxas, Namine and Kairi in tow as the others split off to do their own parts.

 

Ienzo was the first to greet them when the door to the lab slid open. There was a momentary pause at seeing Vexen’s somebody- Even- in attendance, but Riku didn’t want to waste any more time. He quickly launched into the tale of the Final Battle once more and the events that unfolded, nearly growing impatient when he was asked to stop so that the two could ask questions.

 

Everytime he spoke of Sora and what events had transpired… his heart ached a bit seeing the sadness that came with the news of the keyblader’s absence. 

 

By now he had just learned to quickly push past the feelings that tried to spring up into his throat and the burn that lingered just behind his eyes. He felt like he could finally have a chance to do something-  _ he _ was the one that was going to save Sora this time.

 

“I believe your idea holds some solid foundation, Riku.” Ienzo said after a brief pause in where he jotted a few notes down. 

 

“Sora’s heart held many connections- threads and links that slowly wove together to create an unbreakable chain…” He paused, tilting his head for a moment as he met Even’s eyes, the two seeming to share the same thought.

 

“There is a high likelihood that using that connection could prove useful.” Even nodded giving Roxas a brief glance. 

 

“Before when Sora and I were working together to get Roxas’ heart separated from his own- we used Sora as a sort of way point.” Ienzo gave a shy reassuring smile as Riku’s attention momentarily drifted to Roxas. 

 

“Using the old remnants of data from the false Twilight Town and Sora’s unbreakable bond- we managed to connect to Roxas and bring him to the surface of Sora’s consciousness to eventually what was his own vessel.” Even finished, moving to the computer as he quickly brought up what looked like several complicated formulas and charts.

 

“Sooo, we’d be doing the reverse?...” Kairi questioned, looking from Namine and Roxas to Ienzo, feeling that spring of hope returning.

 

“Essentially…” Even answered simply, turning his attention to Riku. “I will get right to work complying all the data we have on the project, as well as anything Ansem has on the subject.”

 

For a brief moment Riku thought back to the underground lab under the mansion at Twilight Town, they wouldn’t have any of _ that _ information but with everything that this group had learned since then… it would be enough wouldn’t it?

  
  


= = =

  
  


The next week in Radiant Garden was a rough one, the new Keyblade Master spent as much time as he possibly could in the lab combing through notes and going through theories between Ienzo and Even. 

 

It wasn’t as if everything they taught him was easy to understand right away, there was a lot of what Even explained as ‘technical jargon’ to weave through, but he could get the jist of it and they could move on from one roadblock to another. Slowly but surely piecing together the puzzle that was Sora’s unique version of the ‘Power of Waking’.

 

By the end of the seventh day in the lab however Riku’s patience was wavering. Each day that ended brought the sick sensation of dread- that they were running out of time- and he could practically see Sora fading farther away from their reach.

 

“With all the information we already have on Sora here... I’m starting to think that maybe we just don’t have  _ enough _ data on him.” Ienzo muttered as he quickly scanned a few more files on the computer overhead.

 

Letting out a heavy sigh, the platinum blonde looked toward the young scientist. 

“Are you saying that there's no hope then?” He asked his voice clearly irritated. 

 

Without looking from the computer, Ienzo kept up his rapid pace at the keyboard. Bringing up a search bar before ticking in a different file name. 

 

“I didn’t say that.” The young man admitted, “It just might not happen as quickly as we hoped it would.”

 

“I don’t think we can afford to wait anymore!” Riku snapped his arms dropping down to his sides in exasperation.

 

“If I can’t save him now- I feel like we’re going to lose him- there won’t be anything left to bring back!” He snarled, slamming his fist onto the nearest table surface.

 

There was a ringing silence as Even and Ienzo paused in their work to give the silver haired teen a concerned glance.

 

“Riku, is everything okay?” Kairi’s gentle voice, cut through the heavy silence. 

 

She stood in the doorway with a large bag laden down with food as Roxas hovered behind the princess to her right.

 

“I thought you guys would appreciate a nice lunch and a small break?...” The girl offered carefully, moving slowly towards Riku’s hunched form.

 

The keyblade master eyed the bag in her hands. “We don’t need to be taking breaks- we haven’t actually made any real progress!” He snapped at the Princess, he couldn’t bring himself to meet eyes with Roxas standing beside her.

 

“Riku, please…” Ienzo started, finally pulling away from the computer to take a few steps towards the platinum blonde. 

 

“See reason- we’re doing everything we possibly can to bring back Sora.”

 

Riku cautiously took a step back- clearly not wanting to hear the scientist’s attempt at calming him.

 

“If we were we wouldn’t be stopping to take _ breaks _ .” He shot back giving Kairi another glare.

 

The Princess looked down at the bag in her hands. “I just thought that maybe-”

 

“What exactly did you think, Kai?” Riku cut her off.

 

Kairi hesitated to speak. Just as she opened her mouth to argue, Riku cut her off again.

 

“You know what I keep thinking, Kai? I’m still wondering how you could have let him go in the first place. How you could be so- so  _ careless. _ ” He seethed.

 

He realized right away that he was letting slip all those ugly words he couldn’t keep inside any longer- the ones born from the darkness and insecurity. His heart ached for him to stop, but his mind broiled and churned, overriding his rational thoughts.

 

“He went to find you without a second thought, Kai. I tried to go with him to help and he told me he had to go and do it himself.” The stinging at the back of his eyes was threatening to make itself known again. The anger kept it at bay, but for how long.

 

“If it were me- I would of made sure he came home… Sora is the most important of any of us. I would always have picked him over myself!”

 

“That’s enough!”

 

Roxas was moving forward now, his strides hard and heavy as his blue eyes locked onto Riku’s green- daring him, challenging him. He placed himself between Riku and Kairi, obviously shielding the pink haired girl from Riku’s anger.

 

“You speak as if you know what Sora would of wanted-” The blonde continued keeping his gaze locked with Riku’s. Demanding his attention. Demanding his silence.

 

“But your anger is blinding you- you’re so desperate to bring him back that you’ve lost sight of yourself!” The shorter blonde took a moment to give the tearful Kairi a careful glance, before he rounded back on the Keyblade Master.

 

“Sora wouldn’t of let either of you sacrifice yourself for him again…” His tone grew softer. Riku noticed a single black gloved hand reached back to take Kairi’s in a comforting grip.

 

“I-I… wouldn’t hav-  _ He _ wouldn’t of wanted this…” Roxas pressed firmly, “He knew the risks… that’s why he went alone.”

 

It had been getting harder and harder throughout the week to look at Roxas. As the days had come to a full circle, he saw himself avoiding the blonde any chance he could. 

 

His was too guilty to look at those eyes.  _ His eyes... _

 

Now that he stood there with Roxas’s deep blue boring into his own- he couldn’t stand being in the same room as him. Not to mention, Roxas was just telling him everything he didn’t want to admit or hear.

 

“He wouldn’t of wanted?” Riku growled out the question. “What about everyone else? He was everything to these people! He’s done so much for everyone and now that he’s gone…” Riku shook his head trying to shove away those dark feelings that had begun to swallow him.

 

“Whats it matter to  _ you _ anyways?” The Master choked back a laugh, tears prickling at the corners of his vision. 

 

“You ended up getting what you wanted before he disappeared- it’s not like you’ve lost anything in this, Sora-” Riku’s eyes widened as he heard the slip of the name leave his own mouth. He froze and looked around the room. Everyone was staring at him in either pity or anger. 

 

“I need to leave.” He said hurriedly, brushing past Roxas and Kairi as he moved out of the room and down the hall without another word.

 

Roxas watched him go, mouth taut and jaw clenched as Kairi’s hand reached up to hesitantly touch his shoulder.

 

“Roxas… he didn’t mean-” She hesitated, worrying her bottom lip as the blonde turned to give her a hint of a smile.

 

“It’s okay, Princess.” His hand came up to cover hers for a moment, “I understand what it feels like to lose something precious to me…”

 

Kairi brushed away a few tears that were still welling up at the corners of her eyes. Her hands falling back to her waist as she tugged at the ends of her fingers. 

 

“I know he didn’t mean it… he always gets like that when he’s hurting. He says things just to make others hurt like he is.” She gave a sigh as a small smile curved up onto her lips.

 

“Sora slowly but surely taught him to be better than that… it’s sad to watch him regress like this.” She admitted softly.

 

She reached forward to gently grab his hand this time. “I know you two don’t always see eye to eye… but I feel like you’d be the only one to bring him back from this with Sora gone... you know?”

 

Roxas’s mouth drew back into a frown, his attention going to the empty doorway.

 

“Don’t worry, Princess. I’ll knock some sense into that big stupid head of his.” He quickly pulled a smile, bright and warm. Saying the words he knew she so desperately wanted to hear. 

 

It hurt to smile. It hurt even more to see her eyes brighten as she seemed to look past him for just a moment…

 

But in reality…

 

Roxas didn’t even know where to begin.


End file.
